Roman Catholic Diocese of Wau
Appearance
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The Roman Catholic Diocese of Wau (Latin: Vaven(sis)) is a suffragan Latin rite diocese in the Ecclesiastical province of Juba which cover all and only South Sudan, yet depends on the missionary Roman Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.
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The Cathedral episcopal see is Cathedral of St. Mary in Wau, Gharb Baḩr al Ghazāl province. It is vacant without apostolic administrator.
History
- 30 May 1913: Established as Apostolic Prefecture of Bahr el-Ghazal, on territory split off from the Apostolic Vicariate of Central Africa
- 13 June 1917: Promoted as Apostolic Vicariate of Bahr el-Ghazal
- Lost territory repeatedly : on 1923.06.12 to establish Apostolic Prefecture of Equatorial Nile, on 1949.03.03 to establish Apostolic Prefecture of Mupoi and on 1955.07.03 to establish Apostolic Vicariate of Rumbek
- 26 May 1961: Renamed after its see as Apostolic Vicariate of Wau
- 12 December 1974: Promoted as Diocese of Wau
Statistics
As per 2014, it pastorally served 2,913,120 Catholics (70.0% of 4,161,600 total) on 134,572 km² in 19 parishes with 43 priests (25 diocesan, 18 religious), 1 deacon, 56 lay religious (28 brothers, 28 sisters) and 23 seminarians.
Ordinaries
(all Roman rite)
Apostolic Prefect of Bahr el-Ghazal
- Antonio Stoppani, Comboni Missionaries of the Heart of Jesus (M.C.C.I.) (born Italy) (1913.05.30 – 1917.06.13 see below)
Apostolic Vicars of Bahr el-Ghazal
- Antonio Stoppani, M.C.C.I. (see above 1917.06.13 – retired 1933), Titular Bishop of Stratonicea in Caria (1917.06.13 – death 1940.08.06)
- Rodolfo Orler, M.C.C.I. (born Canada) (1933.12.11 – death 1946.07.19), Titular Bishop of Prusias ad Hypium (1933.12.11 – 1946.07.19)
- Edoardo Mason, M.C.C.I. (born Italy) (1947.05.08 – 1960.05.10), Titular Bishop of Rusicade (1947.05.08 – death 1989.03.15); next Apostolic Vicar of El Obeid (Sudan) (1960.05.10 – 1969)
- Ireneus Wien Dud (first African incumbent, born Sudan) (1960.05.10 – 1961.05.26 see below), Titular Bishop of Barcusus (1955.07.03 – 1974.12.12); previously Apostolic Vicar of Rumbek (South Sudan) (1955.07.03 – 1960.05.10)
Apostolic Vicar of Wau
- Ireneus Wien Dud (see above 1961.05.26 – 1974.12.12), also President of Sudan Bishops’ Conference (1970 – 1973), Apostolic Administrator of Apostolic Vicariate of Rumbek (South Sudan) (1972 – 1974); later Metropolitan Archbishop of Juba (South Sudan) (1974.12.12 – 1982)
- Suffragan Bishops of Wau
- Gabriel Zubeir Wako (1974.12.12 – 1979.10.30), also Apostolic Administrator of Apostolic Vicariate of Rumbek (South Sudan) (1974 – 1976), President of Sudan Bishops’ Conference (1978 – 1989); later Coadjutor Archbishop of Khartoum (Sudan) (1979.10.30 – 1981.10.10), succeeding as Metropolitan Archbishop of Khartoum (1981.10.10 – retired 2016.12.10), President of Sudan Bishops’ Conference (1993 – 1999 & 2012.01.01 – 2016.10), created Cardinal-Priest of S. Atanasio a Via Tiburtina (2003.10.21 [2003.12.14] – ...)
- Joseph Bilal Nyekindi (1980.10.24 – retired 1995.11.02), died 1996
- Rudolf Deng Majak (1995.11.02 – death 2017.03.08), also President of Sudan Bishops’ Conference (2006? – 2011.12.31); previously Apostolic Administrator of Wau (1992.04.12 – succession 1995.11.02).
See also
Sources and external links